249:
paid for by the
Australian government, as long as it was also able to appoint him. The British government objected (privately) because this would mean that the governor-general could not carry out what was seen in London as his broader role in supervising the Australian government. While Tennyson shared this understanding of his role, he nevertheless agreed to Deakin's proposal, and Parliament approved the arrangement in August 1902. However, the relations between the two men, which had been frosty, were not improved by this episode, and Deakin did not encourage Tennyson to seek an extension of his one-year term.
325:
757:
212:. The department held and processed all Government House's personnel and financial records. This lack of formal independence led some to criticise Smith in 1976 for having failed to keep Whitlam and his departmental head informed of Kerr's thinking in the period leading up to Whitlam's dismissal. Smith subsequently resolved to secure more formal independent power for himself, his office and staff. Sir John Kerr, Sir
719:
530:
794:
248:
suspected that
Tennyson was reporting on him to London and trying to interfere on matters of policy, such as the naval agreement between Britain and Australia. The official secretary would have been involved in these intrigues. He therefore proposed that the governor-general's official secretary be
125:
to enable the governor-general to carry out their constitutional, statutory, ceremonial and public duties. Until 1903, the governor-general’s private secretary provided the support to the governor-general, when the official secretary position was established. The position was abolished in 1928 after
231:
provided for the establishment of a statutory office of official secretary, to be appointed by the governor-general-in-council, to employ the necessary staff, and to hold office at the governor-general's pleasure. All personnel and financial records were transferred to
Government House. Since 1985,
161:
The Office also manages and maintains the official properties and associated heritage buildings and grounds, and opens the properties to members of the public for events sponsored by charitable institutions. The official secretary is supported in his or her role by program managers responsible for
203:
Whitlam chose those words to highlight the fact that his government (since winning the double dissolution election of 1974) had abolished use of the words "God Save The Queen" at the end of all official proclamations. Its reinstatement by Smith was an autocratic act taken entirely on his own part;
268:
activists. Munro
Ferguson was as unenthusiastic about these duties of his official secretary (whom he dubbed 'Pickle the Spy') and the unsavoury characters who consequently lurked about Government House as he was with the secret political work which Steward sometimes performed for Prime Minister
198:
Well may we say "God save the Queen" because nothing will save the
Governor-General. The proclamation you have just heard read by the Governor-General's Official Secretary was countersigned "Malcolm Fraser", who will undoubtedly go down in Australian history from Remembrance Day 1975 as Kerr's
239:
had brought his own private secretary, Captain Edward
Wallington, who handled all his communications with London. The Australians resented an Englishman being in charge of official business. At that time, the payment of the governor-general's staff and the maintenance of the two official
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The following list show the appointed secretaries and acting secretaries in order of appointment. The honours shown were held at the time of appointment.
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indeed, the newly minted "caretaker" Fraser government was not empowered to make such changes. At that time, the official secretary was an officer of the
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194:) in Canberra, with Whitlam and a large crowd attending. The official secretary's proclamation was referred to in Whitlam's famous address to the crowd:
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134:, but was recreated in 1931. The position was established by statute in its current form in 1984. Since 1 July 2024 the official secretary has been
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768:
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The support provided by the Office of the
Official Secretary includes the organisation of, and advice relating to, their duties, hospitality for
730:
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241:
983:
555:
155:
652:
579:
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403:
775:
503:
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The position of official secretary was abolished in 1928 but
Starling continued as Secretary to the Federal Executive Council.
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60:
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83:
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41:
1008:
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209:
190:, Smith read out the proclamation of the dissolution of Parliament on the steps of the then Parliament House (now
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Executive
Support, Household and Property, Organisation Services, and by the Director of the Honours Secretariat.
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257:
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447:
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establishments in Sydney and
Melbourne was at the governor-general's personal expense. His successor
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380:
220:
all agreed with him but urged a cautious delay. The right time finally arrived in 1984 under the
669:
535:
147:
969:
1213:
756:
612:
235:
Some earlier official secretaries played significant political roles in their own right.
324:
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was frugal by nature, and wanted some relief from this financial burden. Prime Minister
174:, who served five governors-general between 1973 and 1990. He was official secretary to
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680:
597:
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217:
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94:
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997:
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an annual report of the official secretary is presented to both houses of parliament.
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127:
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750:
Later served as the Australian Ambassador to France and appointed an AO.
131:
1218:
1134:
Resignation of Douglas Sturkey and appointment of Martin Bonsey
1099:
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973)
1051:
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973)
1025:
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973)
911:
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973)
892:
Australian Dictionary of Biography: John Henry Starling CMG OBE
280:, who served six governors-general over 26 years, 1947–1973.
933:"Appointment of Official Secretary to the Governor-General"
866:
Official Secretary to the Governor-General of New Zealand
260:, Australia's first secret service, whose agents pursued
1219:
Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General
937:
Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General
119:
official secretary to the governor-general of Australia
32:
Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia
154:. The official secretary acts as the Secretary of the
186:
and the swearing-in of the leader of the Opposition,
1010:
gg.gov.au. 18 August 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018
100:
90:
76:
66:
31:
1021:"Government Gazette Appointments and Employment"
276:The longest serving official secretary was Sir
252:In 1916, George Steward, official secretary to
196:
8:
206:Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
182:. Following the dismissal of Prime Minister
871:Secretary to the Governor General of Canada
1214:Official Secretary to the Governor-General
887:
885:
708:Later appointed an Extra Equerry to Queen
170:The best known official secretary is Sir
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59:Office of the Official Secretary to the
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1083:It's an Honour: Sir George Steward KBE
28:
180:1975 Australian constitutional crisis
7:
901:
899:
287:, who began duty on 18 August 2018.
152:Australian honours and awards system
1145:It's an Honour: Douglas Sturkey CVO
1072:It's an Honour: George Steward: CMG
585:30 January 1973 – 1 September 1990
558:and appointed a GCB, GCVO, AC, QSO
1200:It's an Honour: Malcolm Hazell CVO
556:Private Secretary to the Sovereign
350:27 March 1903 – 28 February 1919
283:The current official secretary is
156:Council for the Order of Australia
25:
1178:It's an Honour: Martin Bonsey CVO
1167:It's an Honour: Martin Bonsey LVO
972:House of Representatives Practice
907:"OFFICES ABOLISHED, CREATED, ETC"
121:and staff provide support to the
1189:It's an Honour: Martin Bonsey AO
792:
755:
717:
631:1 September 1990 – 14 July 1998
528:
499:25 March 1947 – 30 January 1973
323:
46:since 1 July 2024
1053:. 27 February 1919. p. 354
787:Later appointed an AO and CVO.
737:5 September 2008 – 26 June 2014
262:Industrial Workers of the World
1235:Governors-general of Australia
781:27 June 2014 – 17 August 2018
699:9 May 2003 – 4 September 2008
1:
1095:"COMMONWEALTH PUBLIC SERVICE"
1047:"Commonwealth public service"
986:Australia's Governors General
819:18 August 2018 – 1 July 2024
399:12 June 1919 – 15 March 1928
123:governor-general of Australia
1101:. 12 June 1919. p. 1000
913:. 15 March 1928. p. 492
291:List of official secretaries
150:, and administration of the
1027:. 4 April 1903. p. 181
71:Governor-General-in-Council
1251:
665:15 July 1998 – 9 May 2003
227:The 1984 amendment to the
126:the Parliament moved from
84:at the governor's pleasure
712:. Later appointed an AO.
315:Governors-general served
256:, founded and headed the
254:Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson
229:Governor-General Act 1974
58:
36:
1156:Political Storm faces PM
258:Counter-Espionage Bureau
998:ADB: Sir George Steward
846:1 July 2024 – present
201:
1120:Christopher Cunneen:
421:Leighton Bracegirdle
192:Old Parliament House
1122:William John McKell
304:Official Secretary
208:, on secondment to
178:at the time of the
18:Honours Secretariat
453:1931 – March 1947
148:official functions
95:Sir George Steward
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536:William Heseltine
419:Rear Admiral Sir
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16:(Redirected from
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42:Gerard Martin
35:
30:
27:
19:
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1173:
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1151:
1140:
1129:
1121:
1115:
1103:. Retrieved
1098:
1089:
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1067:
1055:. Retrieved
1050:
1041:
1029:. Retrieved
1024:
1015:
1004:
993:
985:
979:
971:
965:
957:
952:
940:. Retrieved
936:
927:
915:. Retrieved
910:
710:Elizabeth II
670:Hollingworth
294:
282:
275:
271:Billy Hughes
251:
234:
228:
226:
224:government.
214:Zelman Cowen
202:
197:
169:
160:
145:
118:
116:
82:
26:
956:Smith, D.,
801:Paul Singer
799:Lieutenant
763:Mark Fraser
567:David Smith
285:Paul Singer
172:David Smith
78:Term length
1221:on YouTube
960:, p. 252-4
877:References
822:Cosgrove,
551:De L'Isle
465:Gloucester
408:Stonehaven
330:Major Sir
50:2024-07-01
784:Cosgrove
588:Hasluck,
538:(acting)
512:De L'Isle
508:Dunrossil
358:Northcote
309:nominals
301:Portrait
266:Sinn Féin
128:Melbourne
101:Formation
67:Appointer
39:Incumbent
1229:Category
970:Odgers:
860:See also
746:Cosgrove
634:Hayden,
502:McKell,
354:Tennyson
216:and Sir
132:Canberra
1105:12 June
1057:12 June
1031:12 June
917:12 June
704:Jeffery
668:Deane,
598:Stephen
520:Hasluck
404:Forster
312:Period
166:History
106: (
48: (
942:1 July
850:Mostyn
824:Hurley
602:Hayden
469:McKell
461:Gowrie
457:Isaacs
366:Denman
362:Dudley
318:Notes
142:Duties
812:
810:,
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772:,
742:Bryce
692:
690:,
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656:,
636:Deane
624:
622:,
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222:Hawke
1107:2020
1059:2020
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814:RANR
590:Kerr
573:KCVO
565:Sir
504:Slim
487:KCVO
479:Sir
427:KCVO
307:Post
264:and
199:Cur.
117:The
108:1903
104:1903
841:PSM
807:MVO
776:OAM
769:LVO
731:CVO
687:CVO
660:CVO
619:CVO
543:MVO
494:CBE
448:RAN
441:DSO
434:CMG
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387:CMG
345:CMG
338:KBE
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